The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has been urged to enforce environmental and traffic laws following concerns over the roaming of cattle on streets and highways in Abuja. The call was made by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) in a statement released yesterday.
HURIWA Expresses Outrage Over Lawlessness
HURIWA expressed outrage over what it described as escalating lawlessness in the FCT, where environmental and public safety regulations are allegedly being violated with impunity. According to the group, it is both shocking and unacceptable that despite existing regulations prohibiting animals from roaming on streets and highways within Abuja, cattle are still being seen in the Central Business District and around the Federal Secretariat complex.
HURIWA's National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated that cattle now routinely wander through major roads, traffic corridors, and sensitive high-security areas within the city centre, including locations around the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly. He said the situation reflects a breakdown of urban governance and regulatory enforcement in the nation's capital.
HURIWA emphasized that Abuja is not a grazing field but the seat of national governance and should not be reduced to an unregulated environment where animals obstruct highways while citizens contend with insecurity and disorder. The group stated, "It is unacceptable that while citizens are being exposed to danger on the roads, government attention appears absent, muted or indifferent to the reality unfolding in plain sight. Governance is not decorative. Governance is enforcement, order and protection of lives."
Concerns Over Security Situation
HURIWA also expressed concern over the worsening security situation in Abuja, particularly the persistent activities of one-chance robbery syndicates operating across the city. The group argued that despite repeated arrests announced in the past, the menace persists, suggesting systemic intelligence failure, operational inefficiency, or lack of coordinated action among security agencies.
It called on the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the Department of State Services to immediately activate a joint intelligence-driven crackdown on the criminal networks. "Abuja residents deserve safety, not fear. The Federal Capital must not become a theatre of daily terror for commuters," the group said.
Demands for Transparency and Accountability
HURIWA further demanded transparency and accountability regarding recent victims of one-chance attacks, insisting that citizens cannot continue to suffer while official responses remain reactive or inadequate. "The culture of impunity must end, and justice must be delivered swiftly and visibly," it added.
The organisation warned that the normalisation of cattle roaming within the city centre, combined with unchecked violent crime, paints a dangerous picture of institutional collapse. According to the group, the rule of law cannot coexist with selective enforcement, stressing that existing laws must be obeyed by all persons and groups without exception.
HURIWA warned that continued inaction could embolden lawlessness, deepen public distrust, and further endanger innocent citizens. The group therefore called for stricter enforcement of environmental and traffic laws prohibiting open grazing within Abuja city limits, removal of cattle obstructing roads and restricted zones, and public accountability from the FCT Administration over enforcement lapses.
It also demanded the establishment of a joint security task force to dismantle one-chance robbery syndicates, publication of arrest and prosecution records relating to such crimes, and improved intelligence coordination among the police, DSS, and other security agencies. "Abuja must not be allowed to descend further into administrative chaos and public insecurity. FCT is the symbol of Nigeria's governance integrity, and its continued deterioration is an indictment on all responsible authorities," the group concluded.
